


How to React

by LilliaFlurr



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-04 02:55:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21190391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilliaFlurr/pseuds/LilliaFlurr
Summary: You knew getting wrapped into some strange plan by your idol-obsessed college friends was a bad thing. If only you knew then just how bad it could be for your life and if only you knew then what a mix of things would happen after.





	1. Part 1

“See, guys?” You said, slamming a printed version of an article in front of a rowdy bunch of your old college friends, “This is how you should treat BTS. They’re people and need to be treated that way. I know you want to interact with them as much as possible with you’re visiting, but this is too much.” You said in your native tongue, motioning towards the crazy scheme of theirs laid out on the table.  
“God, Y/n! Can’t you just shut up and trouble shoot for us? We know that you now have a bachelors in cyber security and we need your help! The fan meet and concert are tomorrow, and I know you can give us the best plan!” One of your friends pleaded, shoving the article off the table before running her hands through her messy hair and giving you puppy dog eyes.  
“Fine,” You sighed, giving the article one last rueful look before looking at them again, “But you all have to promise me that if this doesn't work, you will continue with your vacation in Seoul and support BTS casually, Ok?”  
“Yeah, yeah. Fine, but with you this will work.” Another friend chimed, a cheshire cat smile on her face.  
“I’m not infallible. I make mistakes, besides this is a time crunch. I think for a while, but I also want to enjoy the weather today.” You sighed, looking out at the people outside the cafe who were walking around dressed in shorts and t-shirts. It was your lunch break for your current paid internship, and you were originally under the assumption that your undergrad friends simply wanted to hang out, maybe have a picnic and catch up before joining them tomorrow for the concert tomorrow (they convinced you to buy the tickets with the promise that you’d be paid back but they still haven’t even offered yet). You were wrong about their intentions here, as always with them.  
“Whatever. Just, get on it, please?” The friend that spoke originally said-- to which you simply nodded, eyes already looking at the plan they’d set up already. A plan of your own already springing to life.  
You didn’t approve of their thoughts around K-pop idols whatsoever, and while you wanted to stop them near the beginning, you couldn’t have them think that you weren’t about to make them feel good about this plan. This had to work down to a t if they were not only feel most ashamed, but also get the worst punishment.  
Your eyes scanned their plan once again, your fingers tapping on your thigh as you thought it over again, “Don’t go through that corridor.” You mumbled pointing to their first turn, “Many sasaeng fans try to get into dressing rooms, often. You want to get closer to their exet without taking common routes. Security is always weakest that way. Take this, later turn.”  
Before you knew it, your lunch break was over without any actual food eaten and you were forced to leave the cozy cafe for the humidity of early spring to get back to the company you were working at. The next day, you found yourself giddy and excited even with your stupid college friends trying to do something stupid. You didn’t notice how much time passed in your excited stupor as soon you were being herded into line at the fanmeet.  
Talking, even for the short amount of time given, to them was amazing. Your head spun in giddiness as the members made little jokes and just goofed off in general, and as soon as you spoke to the first member in line, you were being pushed by your friends into the concert venue nextdoor. The concert too passed quickly (despite what you saw when skimming through the occasional fanfiction a friend would send, you didn’t meet eyes with a member and there was no magical moment). Soon your friends were pretending to drunkenly get to some sort of bathroom… dragging you with them much to your protest. Your nerves were mounting with each movement you made towards your “trap” and you felt bile rising in your stomach as you tried to think of how you’d leave so that it was only them that got in trouble. They were the ones that were planning this, you just worked to make them feel worse about it.  
Oh how you wished they were like that damn fan in the museum who simply hummed one of their songs and moved on. Why did they have to be so damn… crazy?  
The more you lamented, the closer you got to actually having to stop them yourself. You didn’t think you could handle this. No, you knew you couldn’t. You were a goody-two-shoes. Quicker than you thought, the place you’d plan for a trip up came and all the girls fell over the sudden truck drop in cries of mostly shock and pain. You, luckily, were able to balance yourself, hair falling quickly out of your loose bun and covering your face (and blinding your eyes) as you stumbled over the fallen girls in an attempt to find proper footing on the asphalt. You raised your head up to the sky, hating how your overgrown hair moved with you to brush against your back in gentle swishes against your back.  
You gasped for air, no longer used to such physical exercise even though you were once a star athlete on your college's track and field (a broken ankle and torn IT band will do it to someone). You distantly heard people talking hurriedly and possibly footsteps approaching to go to the vans in the parking lot but you were distracted by the sounds of blood rushing through your vessels. The only thing that slightly rivaled the waterfall in your ears was your friends whining your name incessantly. One of them tried to get up and chase after the people in the distance (of whom you could only assume was BTS), but you quickly grabbed her hand and used your entire body to ancor her in place with the weak excuse of needing to catch your breath. Her weight allowed you to lift up your right foot gingerly, trying hard not to wince too much at the shooting pain you felt.  
It was then, that you took a quick glance at the people passing by, all eyes from the people there cautiously eyeing you all.  
“You failed, now it’s time to take on my approach.” You mumbled while gasping for breath. You mind was screaming at you in shame that you couldn’t handle that tiny amount of exercise. That you were a disgrace to your whole childhood and college years. Tears budded your eye ducts as they locked with one of the members directly. Making eye contact with Kim Namjoon was exactly what those snippets of fanfictions said it would be… only not. Your heart was racing from the fall and the incident, growing pain in your ankle as well as your IT band, not his “heated” stare. You knew that you’d probably need a brace and more physical therapy after tonight, sadly. He also wasn’t staring lovingly at you, his eyes were wide in fear and shock. Most importantly, he wouldn’t seek you out later to try and talk to you. He’d probably avoid all of you at all cost… maybe even get a restraining order if he really wanted.  
Fuck.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I meant to only make this two parts but formatting didn't work out! Thank you for reading!

The days after that damn concert bled together with the usual dull mix of your internship, your limp social life, and your excruciating physical therapy. Eventually you found yourself at yet another paid internship, this one a gaming company that wants boosted security while wiggling the idea of pitching a game to the board and getting hired as a game developer (not that you cared, your love was in cyber security, not gaming. Besides, it was merely a ploy to get bright eyed and gullible interns) and you were working up to some sort of exercise once again. That was your one fatal flaw and biggest strength: you were unbelievably optimistic. It’s led you back to venomous relationships time and time again and urged you to keep going when your life got rough. Right now though, it was whispering in your ear, screaming in your mind, that some kind of physical activity was still a possibility.   
That was why you were now at the gym, hobbling to a walk on the treadmill as your lungs cried for more air.   
More.   
More.   
More.   
You had to get off the treadmill shortly after that, every limb you had control of screaming in pain, urging you to never run three kilometers ever again, but your mind was singing happily. You knew that pain was the first step towards recovery, that once you could get passed this momentary lapse in exercise, you could live content again.  
It was then that you looked around the gym once again, you had gotten there after your internship at around seven at night, but maybe, just maybe, four hours of stretching and exercising at night was not in most others’ plans. You shrugged, not normally one to pass up on post-workout stretching but tonight you would be. A little extra soreness tomorrow morning won’t kill you.   
So you went to the locker room to shower, happy to get out of your sweat drenched clothes and into a pair of sweats. As you showered you went through how you were going to get home, knowing that a little girl in the big city can be dangerous… no matter how much your mini feminist wanted to tell you that you could protect yourself just fine. As per your mom’s request, you memorized a map of Seoul before flying out and as per your dad’s request you don’t leave home without a can of pepper spray. It was when your stomach grumbled hungrily that you made the executive decision to stop at a convenience store on your way home. By the time you had changed into baggy guys sweatpants and a tank top (too tired to put on a bra underneath your shirt and socks on your feet) before slipping back on your running shoes. You shoved the rest of your gear into your duffle bag before you neared the gym’s entrance, your route in mind, and slid on your thin jacket.   
You found yourself at a convenience store about five minutes from your house (seven if your IT band got irritated and you had to hobble more), your eyes already droopy and stomach whining incessantly. You walked around the store slowly, looking at the cameras and down the isles (your paranoid parents did give you your love for security after all) before grabbing an egg salad sandwich and a ready to go cup of iced coffee before going to the cashier and having him ring your stuff up.  
“Would you like to participate in the lottery, ma’am?” He asked, his voice was caked with boredom as it cracked while a small group of people burst into the store and made a b-line to the back quickly.   
“No, I’m fine without.” You said as you handed over your precious five thousand won. You knew you should have gotten a protein bar or something instead, but the sandwich was calling out to you and you simply couldn’t resist.   
Before the teenage boy could give you your money, a relatively large group of girls burst into the store and shoved into you, “M-ma’am do.. Do you know where boys came in?” The one closest asked in terribly broken English, her eyes running over the shop as frantically as possible.  
You furrowed your brows and frowned, something wasn’t right with them asides from the fact that they were trying to speak to you in English, “I don’t remember anyone coming in while I was looking around. Only been here for a little.” You responded back in Korean, “What did they look like? Maybe I did see them?”  
“Oh! They have face masks on, and are in relatively monotone clothes. Oh! And they’re so handsome!” One said, while a few of the girls scurried out of the store to follow another crowd.  
“Hmmm… No. Doesn’t ring a bell, are they your Oppas?”   
“Yes.”  
“I mean actual, birth or adopted or married in, oppas?”  
“No.”  
“Ahhh… school oppas?”  
“No.”  
Your face fell, they were sasaeng fans alright, “Actually… I think I did see them!” You said, feing knowledge once again, “They didn’t go in this store though. I saw people like that go down the end of the block and turn… right.” You said, nodding your head surly as they ran out of the shop in a frantic sprint.   
The teenager behind the cashregister was silent, his eyes wide before he asked while handing you your money, “Isn’t that the direction of the police station?” He asked, eyes angled towards the ground as he moved to fiddle with the corner of a large sticky note in his textbook.  
“Yeah, surprised you realized. Have a good night!” You said as you left, already happily munching on your sandwich. You were happy and calm which is why you almost decided to take out your earbuds to listen to music while finishing your walk home. Almost.  
You knew better. So when you had heard the convenience store door open and close loudly behind you followed by multiple feet running towards you, your hand started to creep into the closest pocket of your duffle bag as you turned right instead of kept going straight towards your tiny apartment. Your paranoid mind started to race with ideas of how you could get out of whatever situation was going to be thrown at you. You could spray them and run towards the convenience store once again. Or you could kick them where the sun don’t shine and sprint the last five minutes to your building. Thirteen kilometers per hour wasn’t much, but it could save your life. Who needed a healthy body anyways?   
“Excuse m-” Whoever was behind you grabbed your shoulder as you turned around screaming at the top of your lungs and distanced yourself from them, your pepper spray the only barrier between the two of you. You distantly hear your duffle bag hit the sidewalk and most likely land in a mix of dried vomit and spit from the day and night prior.  
The four people behind the person who touched you all backed away in fear as you tried look scarier than you were, “Don’t e-even dare try to m-mug me! I-I am able to f-fight back!” You stuttered out, chest heaving once again as your arm screamed to be resting at your side instead of holding up pepper spray.   
“Woah! Woah! Please, we don’t want to hurt you. We- uhhh… we’re not used to these parts and heard you cover for us at the general store. Could you… uhh… help us out?” He asked, voice muffled by his face mask.  
You sighed, “So you’re those idols those little girls were stalking? Yeah. I’ll help you find your way back to where ever you need to go.” You sighed, lowering your arm but continuing to hold onto the pepper spray, “Where do you need to go?” You ended up having to walk them to a secluded restaurant for them to get something to eat, and being forced to watch them scarf down their food because apparently they “needed” to be walked all the way back to the main road. During that time… you realized that they were in fact members of BTS… including Namjoon. You tried to play it cool, rotating your ankle every once in a while as you hoped that the half year between when they might have seen you before had softened their memory.  
“Wait! I think I recognize you!” Kim Taehyung shouted after he finished his food (second) as he pointed at you, eyes wide as worry seemed to grow in them.   
Your stomach plummeted as your heart sped up and for once you were happy that you only ate the egg salad sandwich and to-go ice coffee, “Really?” You asked, once again trying to play it natural. If they saw that you weren’t a crazy person, you’d be happy.   
“Yeah! I mean- I don’t know know you, but you were one of those crazy girls who were somehow able to get through our security during our last Run comeback concert here!” Taehyung said to the rest of the group.   
“I-I… I didn’t mean to.” You sighed, looking down at your lap before scoffing and continuing, “It messed me up though if it’s any consolation. I was simply hoping to mess with my friends from America. We-”  
“You know messing with your friends is fun and all when it doesn’t impede on others, but that was a really stupid thing and really scary for us.” Yoongi cut in, his voice cold and distant and he drank more soup.  
“I agree, honestly. They were going to try anyways and-”   
“And that made it ok for you to join? You should have just reported it and been done with it.” Another member said, anger seething from his clenched teeth.  
“I know, but I wanted them to try and fail miserably so that they could see why simply respecting and admiring from afar was superior. I planned to tell security to guard the area near the loading docks better because they’re weak. Then they somehow managed to drag me with because…” you sighed, “I honestly don’t know. Normally I am so much better at being aware of my surroundings. I-I did stop one of them from running towards you when she tried to, but I don’t think that excuses any of their actions or any of my actions… and for that I am sorry. It went against all of my morals.” You were finally able to fully explain yourself and when you were done, the whole table was silent. You looked up slowly, to see some confused faces as well as blank faces.  
“What do you mean when you said, “it messed you up”?” Namjoon asked, his head cocked to the right slightly.  
“I- Well- I re-injured my ankle and IT band. Still in physical therapy for it.” You looked down at your ankle, rotating it again.  
“Is that why you were leaning on one of them?”  
“Uhhh… Kinda. I mean it was a nice perk and helped prove my point, but I mainly did that so she couldn’t run up to you guys. God, that whole night was so fucking twisted. I mean what kind of friends were they to think I’d ever be ok again with them after that? They said that I was overreacting when I yelled at them afterwards.   
“Like, sorry that you fell from a couple feet onto someone else, but I literally have to shell out a couple hundred thousand won just to walk normally and without pain again. It’s not like my ego was bruised before the first incident, let alone the fact that I couldn’t even land the fucking jump. I mean what college feild and track star fuckup can’t even run three kilomeeters in fourteen fucking minutes? I’ll tell you who-- me!” Your mind stuttered as your face reddened, “Shit. I’m ranting aren’t I?”  
“It’s ok. Uhhhh… how did you know that security near the loading dock would be weak, if you don’t mind me asking.” One of the five there asked, you were too ashamed of your rambling that you didn’t bother to look up though you could have guessed that it as Yoongi.  
“Well… logic, really. Any security’s logic is prevent any from getting through in the first place so the farther back you get the less security there is. Plus, if one travels through halls farthest away from what the security is protecting, the less security there is. To put it simply, the loading docks weren’t even originally for the concert hall, but when it expanded, they stayed. Without stars being near it until they are close to their car, the reason to have people there is next to null, but the reasons to have security there are higher as the path less trodden on is the safest path for a virus to go down.”  
You looked up as you continued, “That’s what hackers are doing now anyways. Get in through a mindless account and spread from there. Smart homes are making it so much easier-- get in through the thermostat and then get to the computer. Go through the weakest link to find the most information. Wifi is another way-- have a similar one up, the second someone logs on, all the information needed is taken. Flash Drives as well.” You nodded surly, biting your lip slightly before looking back at your ankle as you rotated it once again.   
“How do you know all that?” Your head shot up at the question from Namjoon before your eyes scanned the rest of the group.   
“I work in cyber security but it can translate over. After I hurt- After I decided to rededicate myself in my education, I double majored in computer engineering and security. Got a masters.” You straitened your posture, “I’m on my second paid internship in the field of cyber security.” You puffed out your chest slightly in pride, “I’m head of the team, in fact.”   
“Uhh… wow. Didn’t expect someone as young looking as you to have a masters in something.” Jin said, looking back at his food, seeming to decide that you were ok once again.  
“I’m almost twenty four. I’d hope that I’d at least have an idea of what I want to do with my life by now.” You sighed, “I know some people who are still stuck in their college ways. Sad really-- that time was so… scary, harsh, and… unhealthy for everyone. I can’t imagine why one would want to live through that again.”   
“I don’t know. I mean, I took college online and I honestly wish that I could go to college. Live something normal.” Jin responded, looking you in the eyes as he spoke with food in his mouth.   
You cringed lightly at the food but spoke none the less, “I mean, I can understand that as well, but I’ve always seen my college experience as negative when looking back. I think it depends on what one does, but being in both a hard carry for two teams and balancing my classes took a lot out of me.”  
“Were the parties good at least?” Taehyung asked, his eyes shining with curiosity.   
“I went to one or two, but there were too many hookups and drinks there. I- there was a lot of shitty people there. Don’t take what I say as everything though, I went to college in New Zealand so I often looked at the nature instead of the people.” You smiled lightly before feeling your phone vibrate, “Please eat up. I really should get back to my place soon, and I imagine that whoever you’re waiting for is worried about you.” You looked down at your phone, it was almost one already, you rotate your foot before starting to think about the rest of your day. Every intern was asked to come early-- way too early for your likes-- so that left you two or three hours of sleep. Did even you want to sleep for three hours? You could clean up the apartment, apply to more companies for a permanent job, and get some reading done. It could be a very productive time for you and sleeping well is not necessarily a given. You’ve done all nighters before, what would be different this time? Just extra coffee and more naps once home.   
While still wrapped in your thoughts, you waited for them to pay before leading them to a main street and calling a taxi to take you home. You ended up staying up all night, looking at the job offers that had arrived on your facebook before looking elsewhere for possible job offers.


	3. Part 3

You ended up getting to the interview process for three of the five or so you ended up sending your resume to; one being a basic cyber security company, another being slightly more advanced as it dealt specifically with cyber security of the cyber currency, and the last one was at Big Hit (just because you could, not because you truly thought that you had a chance) to be the head of the security.   
You continued throughout your days, the interviews going somewhat awkwardly (as they normally do for you) and your regular internship seeming to get more convoluted as you went. Which lead you to where you were now, bitching to a workout friend about this one intern who didn’t understand how to be mature.  
“I swear it’s like they never left high school! I mean who the hell thinks that it is smart to sleep with every girl on the security team-”  
“Every girl?” He interrupted as you guys entered the convenience store close to his gym.  
“Ok, not every girl, excluding me… but apparently he also slept with another guy intern so I’m substituting.” You restated, meandering around the store to understand the set up. His gym, the one you went to this time, was in a richer district of Seoul and, while you didn’t recognize the stores, you knew the streets.   
“Honey, x’s and y’s don’t equal the same thing.” He said while looking at a bag of chips hungrily.   
“Anyways, he started to whine to me about how it was my fault that everyone was turning on him, completely forgetting that sleeping with multiple people in a short period of time never means anything good. I mean, sure, I didn’t sleep with him, but all that means is that I have no reason to be angry at him, not that I caused it.” You whined, picking up an apple and looking at it carefully before decidedly putting it back.  
“God, Y/n, it feels like you get into more trouble each and every time that I see you.” He laughed, inspecting the apple you had just put down as you looked at a bag of pork rinds.   
“Sure~~~” You sang, grabbing and kicking his calf, “Do you want to split the pork rinds?”  
“Mrs. L/N?” Someone called out from farther down the aisle. Your head whipped over to see Kim Namjoon and Min Yoongi looking at you in shock, not that you were any different. Your eyes widened and your jaw slackened. It was weird to hear them say your name, but you weren’t completely against it.  
“Mr. Kim, Mr. Min, what a pleasure to see you two again.” You said, looking around the aisle to make sure that no one would hear.   
While you were doing that your gym partner leaned down and whispered in your ear, “I never knew that you knew idols! Enjoy your talk, I’ll meet you outside-- you owe me next time.” Before he grabbed the bag of pork rinds from your hands and left… leaving you alone with Yoongi and Namjoon.  
“It really is a coincidence. I thought you worked out in a different district.” Yoongi said as the two walked casually closer, their shoulders laid back and eyes closing in a smile (you couldn’t actually see their smiles as half their faces were once again shrouded in a mask.  
“Uhh… Well… my gym partner and I alternate which gym we go to when we meet up. On more relaxing days we go to my gym as it’s smaller and on harder days we go to his. How’d you know I was- I’m wearing gym clothes and am carrying a duffle bag. Of course you knew.” You laughed lightly at the realization.  
“Oh! So he’s not your boyfriend?” Namjoon asked, his eyes seeming to grow in shock.  
You broke out in a series of coughs before you let a awkward laugh or two out, “No. No. He’s asexual. Definitely not. God no. I’m single as a pringle.” You smiled back.  
“Cool! You know what I just remembered?” Namjoon asked, an even larger smile forcing his cheeks up into dimples. In that moment your fangirl side went wild (you mean- not literally, but you were fighting the urge to pinch them so badly at that moment).  
“What?” You said, rolling back onto the heels of your running shoes whiling smiling back.  
“You didn’t hear this from us… but you got the job! They said that you were the most qualified! If you still want it, you can start next month!” He exclaimed, not ready for your squealing as you dropped your gym bag and jumped around a little more. You seriously didn’t expect to get the job, and it was a somewhat high level job that you didn’t know what to expect.  
“Jinjaro?!” You asked and when they nodded you ran up and hugged them both without thinking, “Omo! Omo! Omo! This is the best!”   
“O-O-h… s-sorry. I better get going.” You stuttered out once you realized what you did, quickly scurrying towards the end of the aisle before quickly turning around and bowing deeply to them and giving a meek goodbye before turning the corner. Before you left the store you heard Yoongi say to who you could only guess was Namjoon, “You seem to have forgotten telling her that it was you who got her the job. Plus… did you have any alternative motives for telling her now? Like the hug we both got?”  
You squealed lightly at the thought before joining your friend outside. You were definitely looking forwards to next month more than you think you have looked forward to something since moving to Seoul in the first place.   
Kim Namjoon, see you soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading! I hope you all liked it! If you liked this, you can follow me here or on tumblr (same name)! I am currently posting the fics that I have previously put up on tumblr so everything I am posting is already up there! I am hoping to add some AO3 exclusive content soon though!


End file.
